Salt Lake City’s Drew Staveley Posts Top Time of GTS Practice Friday In PWC Grand Prix of Utah presented by Security National Mortgage

Drew Staveley of Salt Lake City posted the quickest GTS class time Friday at Utah Motorsports Campus in the No. 12 Ian Lacy Racing Ginetta G55 after two Pirelli World Challenge practice sessions in preparation of this weekend’s Security National Mortgage Supercar Grand Prix of Utah.

Ginetta Driver Records Quickest Lap over Baptista, Courtney & Barkey

Staveley, a driving instructor at UMC during the week, recorded his fastest lap in the morning session for the GTS division with a time of one minute, 59.403 seconds (91.89 miles per hour) to list him as one of the favorites for the pole position set for Saturday morning at the 3.048-mile, 14-turn racing circuit located southwest of Salt Lake City. Drew also clocked a 1:59.903 (91.51 m.p.h.) in the afternoon practice.

“I had to wake up early and got here for the morning TV show,” said Staveley. “We knew this morning we had a good car from yesterday. We went out and the car was really good. The second or third lap ended up being the fastest lap which is good for us, since all the guys were working hard. It's really cool too since all their families are coming out tomorrow as this is our home track. (Winning the pole) would be a huge victory for us. I probably have a little more experience here. I get to work here so I literally drive this track four to five days a week. (The Ginetta) is great, a nice lively little car that we got dialed in.”

Second overall in GTS practice was Lime Rock Park double winner Rodrigo Baptista of Spain with a 1:59.460 (91.85 m.p.h.) in the afternoon runs in the No. 3 Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR. Topping out the fastest four in GTS was veteran Jeff Courtney of Milwaukee, Wis., with a 1:59.617 (91.73 m.p.h.) in the No. 99 RecStuff.com/KENDA Maserati GT4 in third and Martin Barkey of Huntsville, Ont., Can., at 2.00.237 (91.25 m.p.h.) in fourth in the No. 80 Mantella Autosports KTM X-Bow GT4.

“The car was pretty good today,” said Baptista. “This is a different type of track because it so flat from places like Lime Rock and Mid-Ohio. We need to improve the car more for qualifying and the race. But the team is going to make the car better, I am sure for Saturday.”

The top GTS Am class runner Friday was rookie Jason Bell of Tampa, Fla., in the No. 2 Racer’s Edge SIN R1 GT4 at 2:00.646 (90.95 m.p.h.) followed by GTS Am point leader George Kurtz of Arizona in the CrowdStrike/GMG McLaren 570S at 2:00.667 (90.93 m.p.h.) and Mark Klenin in the No. 62 KPR/Tender Belly McLaren 570S GT at 2:00.990 (90.69 m.p.h.).

Qualifying for the GTS division is set for Saturday at 8:55 a.m. MDT. Round 13 of the PWC GTS campaign will get underway at 3:10 p.m. MDT.

Friday afternoon Practice 2 session results for the GTS division presented by Case-It at Utah Motorsports Campus as part of the Pirelli World Challenge Grand Prix of Utah presented by Security National Mortgage.